Overview

Since its establishment in 1948, the state of Israel has not ceased to be a unique and controversial entity: vehemently opposed by some, and loyally supported by others. In this novel and original study, Colin Shindler tells the history of Israel through the unusual vehicle of cartoons - all drawn by different generations of irreverent and contrarian Israeli cartoonists. Richly illustrated with a cartoon for every year since Israel's establishment until 2020, Shindler offers new perspectives on Israel's past, politics, and people. At once incisive and hilarious, these cartoons, mainly published in the Israeli press, capture significant flashpoints, and show how the country's citizens felt about and responded to major events in Israel's history. A leading authority on Israel Studies, Shindler contextualises the cartoons with detailed timelines and commentaries for every year. Sometimes funny and sometimes tinged with tragedy, Shindler offers a new, visually exciting, and accessible way to understand Israel's complex history and, in particular, the Israel-Palestine conflict.

Full Product Details

9781009838689

Table of Contents

Reviews

'A leading expert on the history and politics of Israel, Professor Shindler has endeavoured something unique in this engaging book. Through 100 cartoons and accompanying commentary that draws on his extensive understanding of the issues, Shindler provides an illuminating and very welcome addition to the literature on Zionism and Israel.' Rory Miller, Georgetown University in Qatar 'Professor Shindler uses the medium of cartoons to reflect on the major issues that have faced Israel. Selecting just one cartoon for each year out of many thousands is no easy task, but Shindler's selections and commentary highlight the key issues and personalities in a way which no other previous political analysis has attempted.' David Newman, Ben-Gurion University 'Professor Shindler has added a new dimension to his highly esteemed body of writing on Jewish and Israeli history. Cartoons and caricatures offer vividness and insights to conventional historiography. This is an instructive and entertaining new book.' Itamar Rabinovich, Former Israeli Ambassador to the United States 'It is said that a picture is worth a thousand words. Colin Shindler's outstanding collection of cartoons, with comments and timelines, sheds light on the Palestinian Arab/Israeli conflict. This innovative format makes it an outstanding teaching resource and a must-read for those interested in gaining greater insight into this conflict.' Suzanne D. Rutland, University of Sydney 'In this excellent academic study on contemporary Israel's history, carefully selected images are not merely illustrations, but they reflect the atmosphere of a certain time, convey multiple meanings, and signal the power of interpretations. They encourage readers to reflect on emotions, the ever-present but oft-forgotten driver of human activities.' Joanna Dyduch, Jagiellonian University 'Shindler is a serious scholar with a thorough knowledge of the history and politics of Israel. In this book, he cleverly uses political cartoons drawn by Israeli cartoonists to accompany his text. The cartoons add an original dimension to the chapters, each one carefully chosen to reflect the subject of the text it accompanies … Israel: A History in 100 Cartoons is unique and different from other books that have been published previously about Israel's history.' The Jerusalem Post 'The strength of the work is Shindler's ability to condense troves of information into a succinct and navigable text. His summaries of each year are lucid and easy to follow. Even when stories stretch across years, he does an admirable job ensuring that readers can keep track of events. The work's most significant contribution is the inclusion of 100 cartoons that capture seminal moments in Israel's history as understood by some of Israel's most famous political cartoonists. While contemporary political cartoonists post their work across their social media accounts, cartoons from the 20th century are less accessible. Shindler's inclusion of so many pre-digital era cartoons grants readers access to primary sources that provide insight into the country's history that they might not have otherwise been able to see.' Matt Reingold, Journal of Modern Jewish Studies 'Shindler's book deserves to be on the shelf of everyone interested in Israeli history and politics, as well as Middle East and Jewish studies.' Ilan Peleg, Contemporary Jewry

Author Information

Colin Shindler is Emeritus Professor at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. He became the first professor of Israel Studies in the UK in 2008 and was the founding chairman of the European Association of Israeli Studies (EAIS) in 2009. He has published 12 books and his most recent publications include Israel and the European Left: Between Solidarity and Delegitimisation (2012) and The Rise of the Israeli Right (2015).

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